Leather-free handbag made of bacterial cellulose

German biofabrication research company ScobyTec developed a vegan leather alternative made of bacterial cellulose, which they used to create a business handbag.

ScobyTec consists of an international research team in the fields of biology, software development, industrial design and apparel technology. The company develops sustainable materials from bacterial cellulose to replace materials like leather, cotton, and wood-based viscose, and realise bioplastic and composite materials.

The material is called ScobyTec BNC, which stands for Bacterial Nano Cellulose. It is a metabolite of symbiotic bacterial and yeast cultures produced by the fermentation of carbohydrates. The material has high mechanical strength and non-flammable.

ScobyTec has used their BNC material to make various products, like gloves and children’s shoes. The latest project is a business handbag made of biofabricated, purified, white and smooth BNC. The bag has compartments to store tablets and smartphones, and features a laser engraved logo patch.

The company focuses on the development of scaling and automation for the industrial production of the bacterial cellulose, in order to offer a sustainable alternative to leather and cotton.

Photos: ScobyTec